LETTER VIII,

London, July 2, 1774.

TH

HE letters fent over to the Maffachusetts by Dr. Franklin have produced a duel between Mr. Whateley the banker, brother to the late fecretary to the treasury, and John Temple efq; in which the former was dangerously wounded. This has led the doctor to inform the public, that both the gentlemen are totally ignorant and innocent, as to the tranfaction and its circumstances about which they fought. He declares that he alone was the perfon who obtained and tranfmitted to Boston the letters in queftion, and fays-" Mr. W. could not communicate them, because they were never in his poffeffion; and for the fame reafon they could not be taken from him by Mr. T." The doctor justifies his own conduct, and concludes with telling the world, he thought it his duty to tranfmit them to his conftituents." But if they were sent over to be communicated to a few confidential gentlemen only, instead of being addreffed to the fpeaker of the affembly, or one of the committee appointed to correfpond with him, with orders to lay them before the house, how were they tranfmitted to his conftituents? There is fomething mysterious in this bufinefs, which it is apprehended will not bear a discovery at prefent. It is fufpected that the letters were procured out of fome public office; and that

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Mr.

1774.

Mr. Temple is not fo perfectly ignorant of all circumstances as the doctor's language feems to express.

The merits of the petition, prefented fome time ago Jan. 29. by the doctor as agent for the Maffachusetts, praying for the removal of the governor, came on to be heard before the privy council. It is reported, that Mr. W— wandering from the proper queftion before their lordships, poured forth fuch a torrent of virulent abuse on Dr. Franklin as fcarce ever before took place in judicial proceedings. His reproaches appeared to fome prefent to be incompatible with the principles of law, truth, juftice, propriety and humanity. And it was thought it would have redounded more to the honor of their lordfhips, had they seemed to enjoy lefs the lafhes which the doctor underwent; and had they expreffed their dif fatisfaction by reducing the orator to the remembrance of the exalted characters before whom he uttered fuch language. The petition was difmiffed, and the doctor is difplaced from the office of deputy postmaster general for the colonies. The philofopher may recollect in fome future day the liberties taken with him before the privy council on the twenty-ninth of January, and take ample revenge on British minifters and courtiers. Mar. A meffage from his majefty, on account of the late disturbances in America, was prefented to both houses. Particular mention was made of the outrage committed by the people at Boston. Matters are now brought to a crifis, and miniftry are bent upon vigorous, spirited meafures. To prevent oppofition from the merchants, the public papers were filled with writings on the fubject, which painted the mifconduct of the colonies in the strongest colours, and urged in particular the impoffibility

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of the future existence of any trade to America, if this flagrant outrage on commerce, as it is pronounced, went unpunished. These with other endeavours had the propofed effect. The refentment against the Americans became as high and as ftrong as could be defired, within the house: but the ftorm was to be directed against the Maffachusetts. The minifter, in debate, ftated that the oppofition to the authority of parliament had always originated in that colony; and that that colony had always been instigated to fuch conduct, by the irregular and feditious proceedings of Boston. It was become neceffary therefore to begin with that town. He had forgot, or would not mention, that the violent oppofition to the stamp-act originated in Virginia.

Leave was given to bring in a bill "for the immediate 14. removal of the officers concerned in the collection of the customs from Boston, and to discontinue the landing and discharging, lading and fhipping of goods, wares and merchandifes, at Bofton or within the harbour thereof." At the first introduction of the bill it was received with general applaufe. Mr. Bollan however, petitioned to be heard for the Maffachusetts council, and in behalf of himself, and other inhabitants of Boston. The commons refufed to admit his petition, though a few days back they had received one from him as agent for the council. The lords were actually hearing him on a petition, as a perfon duly qualified. On the third reading of the bill, another petition was prefented, in the name of feveral natives and inhabitants of North America; which infifted strongly on the injuftice of the act, and its tendency to alienate the affections of America; and exprefsly declared, that the attachment of America

Mar. 31.

America could not long furvive the juftice of Great Britain. The minority members maintained, that the bill stood fimply as a profcription of one of the greatest trading towns in the British dominions from the use of their port, and from all the commerce by which thoufands obtained their bread. "Have we not (fay they) given an extent of power to his majesty to prevent the port of Boston from ever being reinftated, if the king should think proper? A fine is laid; the trade is prohibited until it is paid; and when the fine is paid, the town may be as far from recovering her trade as ever. The act provides, that the crown must have satisfaction, and that the laws of trade and revenue fhall be obeyed. There is a fting in this. The act under pretence of an indemnity to the East India Company, is meant to enforce the fubmiffion to taxes. America will fee this; and the cause of Bofton will be made the cause of all the colonies. They are all as guilty as Bofton. Not one has received the tea: fome have destroyed it, others fent it back." But all oppofition was ineffectual; for the projected measures of government were immutable. The bill paffed; and was carried up to the house of lords, where it was warmly debated, but, as in the house of commons, paffed without a divifion.

It received the royal affent.

The Boston port-bill formed only one part of the coercive plan propofed by miniftry. A bill was foon brought in for "the better regulating the government of the Maffachusetts-bay." The purport of it was, to alter the conftitution of the province, to take the whole executive power out of the hands of the democratic part, and to veft the nomination of counsellors, judges

and

and magiftrates of all kinds, including fheriffs, in the crown, and in fome cafes in the king's governor, and all to be removable at the pleasure of the crown.

In the debates it was afked of miniftry, whether the colonies already regulated nearly in the manner proposed by the bill, were more fubmiffive to the right of taxation than the Maffachusetts. It was juftly argued, that the disorder lay much deeper than the forms of government; that the people throughout the continent were univerfally diffatisfied; and that the uneafinefs and refiftance was no lefs in the royal governments than in any other. Mr. Bollan again made an effort in favor of his province; but the commons refufed to receive his petition. The miniftry having carried the preceding bill, prepared another, without which, it was faid, the scheme would be entirely defective.

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Lord North prefented the third bill "for the impar- April tial administration of justice in the cafes of perfons questioned for any acts done by them in the execution of the law, or for the fuppreffion of riots and tumults in the Massachusetts-bay." This bill provided, that in cafe any person was indicted in that province for murder, or any other capital offence, and it fhould appear to the governor that the fact was committed in the exercife or aid of magiftracy, in fuppreffing tumults and riots, and that a fair trial could not be had in the province, he should fend the perfon fo indicted, &c. to any other colony, or to Great Britain to be tried. The charge on both fides was to be paid out of the cuftoms. The minority opposed this bill with great vehemence. They infifted that having no fort of reafon for impeaching the tribunals of America, the real intention was to fer up VOL. I.

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